3rd SUNDAY OF ADVENT (B)

He said:“I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert. Make straight the way of the Lord.'”

Jn 1:6-8.19-29

v.6. A man named John was sent from God.

John's testimony helped others to believe, but his own belief and therefore his capacity to bear witness to others came by direct inspiration from God. This theme is also recognized in the Synoptics (e.g. Matt. 16'7: `Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jona ! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.') and in Paul (e.g. 1 Cor. 123).

v. 7. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.

The Greek word for testimony can be almost transliterated into the English word `martyr'. The evangelist recognizes many persons and acts as witnessing to Jesus Christ. By the time this Gospel was written some of the more tragic meanings of `martyr' were already being recognized.

v. 19. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites [to him] to ask him, “Who are you?”

The Synoptics report no such embassy, though it is highly probable that some report on all such reformers as, the Baptist would be sought by the authorities.

v. 20. He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted,o “I am not the Messiah.”

A typical piece of Johannine style, to give emphasis and weight to what follows, viz. a negative confession of the Christ.

v. 21. So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”* And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”

In current Jewish belief it was hoped that Messiah (Christ) would come. Many had apparently thought that John was he. Elijah was expected, on the basis of Malachi as the Messiah's herald. It was further expected that one of the prophets would return (cf. 1 Macc. 4:46; 14:41; 4 Ezra 2:18). It is clear from Mark 8:28 that the appearance of Jesus had caused many to identify him with Elijah, or one of the prophets: it is not therefore surprising, nor in any way impossible, that similar eschatological hopes were raised by the activity of John. But the important point here is the evangelist's removal of the whole Baptist-Christ relationship for interpretation from the realm of such apocalyptic hopes. What is taking place in Christ is not just a scene in a drama, but the coming of the eternal Son into the world of time and history.

v. 23. He said:“I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

For all the impropriety of identifying the Baptist with a figure of apocalyptic Judaism, John now claims before his questioners a significance truly based in the one authority they recognize - the scripture. He is `a voice crying in the wilderness' - one who speaks from a situation in which the fulfillment of God's promise is still future, as Israel's situation in the days of (second) Isaiah long ago. His cry is `Make straight the way of the Lord'. His duty is to prepare for the coming of the Lord - the one God of the Old Testament religion who was shortly to be identified, to the bewilderment of the Jews, with Jesus of Nazareth.

v. 26. John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize….

`I baptize with water': This underlines the relatively insignificant, preparatory, provisional character of John's baptism - and that of Jewish ablutions and purificatory washings. Water cleanses, but temporarily. And in so far as baptism in the water of the Jordan is concerned, neither John nor the Pharisees were of the stature or possessed of the authority to declare any baptism so far practiced as the entry into the life of the new people or Israel of God. All that John and the authorities could do belonged to the stage preparatory to the beginning of the new Israel.

But there is one among you whom you do not recognize….: John, supernaturally enlightened for his mission (1:6 cf. Mark 1:7; Luke 1:15f.), knows that the Son-Messiah is among the Jews, though as yet unmanifested. When he is, then John's true non-significant significance will be evident.

v. 27. …the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.

Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.: This service was a performed by slaves, who had no status and no rights. John is saying that he has no status compared with the coming one, and no rights even to be a person with no rights in the New Israel of God.

v. 28. This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

There is textual support for Bethabara, where, according to a local tradition, John baptized. This enables the reader to avoid confusion with the Bethany where Lazarus lived, and whither (according to the evangelist [10:40; 11:6f]) he from the place where John first baptized. But it is as easy to understand the evangelist's statements in 11:1ff as a careful attempt to differentiate for the reader between two places with the same name.